Locking-switch.



unrrnn srA'r-Es rnm'r fOFFIQE.

nnson o. snssIoNs', on'fcnroaeo, ILLINOIS. f

I LOCKING-SWITCH.

, To all whom it may concern:

' Beitknown that I, EosoN O. SEssroNs, acitizen of. the United States, vresldmg at Chicago, in the county of'Cook and State'of I Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Lock1ng-Sw1tches,

' of which the following is a specification.

- My invention relates to. an improvement in looking switches for use, particularly, ,with alternating currents of large volume. In connection with switches of this kind, it

is necessary to lock the switches in theirclosed position to guard against the -po'ss1 bility of the switches being thrown open by '15 large current I It frequentlyoccurs .room" available forithe locking devices is the magnetic effect produced by the flow of through the switch blades. that the amount of limited and, since these devices must preferably be located outside of the clip jaws of the switch, it is frequently diificult to pro- .vide secure and substantial locking devices interfering with .the efi'ective operationf-fof the locking devices. Whilemy construct1on is shown herein in connection w1th a doublewithin the limited space available. By my invention, I have'provided a construction by which the locking mechanism is simple,

elfective and durable and by which also the amount of space required tocontain it"is Jfduced to a minimum without in any way throw switch and is particularly successful for such devices, it will be understood that it may, also be employedwith. good-results in whichconnection with single-throw switches. r A desirable embodiment of my invention is shown injthe accompanying drawings, in

Figure 1 shows in elevation a doublethrow switch complete,

Fig. 2 shows in elevation, in an enlarged .view, one end of the switch blade and the clip jaws engaged'thereby, the casing of the locking mechanism being. cut away to show the mechanism of the locking devices,

' Fig. 3 is ahorizontal sectional view of line 3-3 and s'witbh.

theparts shown in'Fig. 2'taken along the Fig. 4 is .a view of the end portion tola reduced scale of an operating tool forthe I Specification Letters Patent.

35. 29 are extended beyond the openings 36 Similar numerals refer 'to' similar parts throughout theseveral views.

of a switch blade 10, 'pivotally mounted at -11to a clip block 12. Clip jaws '13 and 14:

are located uponeitherlside of the clip block '12 and in alinement therewith to be engaged by; the switch blade 10 when in one or the otherfof its closed positions as the case may Patented Dec. 3, 1918.

Application filed J'une 23, 1916. Serial No. 105,346.

be. The clip jaws 13 and 14 carry locking catches 15 and 16 for engaging the locking hooks 17 and 18 mounted upon the movable end of the switch blade 10.

As shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, the locking hooks 17 and 18 are-pivotally supported upon rods 19 and 20 extending between the side wallsof the .lock casing 21- and these hooksare provided within the casing with cars 22 and 23 provided with outwardly opening slots 24 and 25 to receive the pins 26 and 27 carried bythe slotted ends of the levers 28. and 29. The ears 22 into the slots in the ends of the levers 28 and 29. These levers are pivotally sup-. ported upon rods 30 and 31 extending between the. side walls of the casing-21 and the lever 29 is provided with an upwardly extending ear 32 having an outwardly opening slot 33 for engaging a pin 34 carried by the car 35 extending downwardlyfrom the lever 28. The ear 32 is of a thickness ;to enter freely into the slot formed innthe ear The lefthand end of the levers 28 and formed through-the side wallsof the casing 21 and overlap said openings whenthe hooks 1.7 and 18 are in their locking position. A guard wall 37 extends between the side walls -o'f the-casing21 at the inner edges of the openings 36 and between this guard wall and the ears 32 and 35 a helical spring 38 is disposed. with its ends in engagement with pins 39 and 40 carried by 'the levers 28 and 29 respectively. .The relation of the lever arms to the various parts is such that a minimum permissible amount of motion of the operating end of either of the levers '28 or 29 by means-of an operating tool such as shown at 41 in Fig. 4:, inserted through 1 the openings 36, produces a suliicient amount and 23 are of a thickness toenter: freely.

, of miotion ofthe locking hooks 1.7 and 18 to-positively d1sengage them and at the same time permit these hooks to be of such substantial construction as to perform their intended function of positively holding the switch in its closed position in engagement either" witli the'clip l3 for 14= asthe case may be. Furthermore, it will be observed that the operation of either of the levers '28 or 29 by means of the operating tool operates theother of said levers and that, therefore, for

any operation of thelocking mechanism by means of the operating tool bothv ofthe locking hooks are withdrawn'from their engaging position. A' further result secured by the arrangemen-t of parts described is that, when the operating tool 41 moves the switch to either of its closed positions 'it' presses against. one of the levers which -moves both of the locking hooks to their releasing position, as a result of which the switch is closed Without engagement of the hooks with the locking catches, and thus.

wear-of the parts is eliminated. If for any reason .the frictional engagement between the clip jaws'and the switch blade is insuflicient to cause such pressure by the tool 41 on the arm 28or 29 as to cause a lengtheningof the spring 38 during the closing operation, the inclined surfaces of the hooks 17 and 18 and locking catches 15 and 16 positively move the locking hooks outwardly against the action of the spring 38 so that proper engagement-may be had between the locking hooks and the locking catches. The same is true if for any reason the switch is moved into its closed position by a force applied to the outside of the lock casing or directly to the switch blade.

While the lock casing is shown as attached to the end ofthe switch blade by means of rivets, it will be understood that this con-' struction does not need to be followed but that on the other hand equivalents thereof may be employed without departing from my invention. And furthermore I' do not limit myself to the exact mechanical ,construction shown in carrying out my invention, but on the other hand may employ known mechanical equivalents thereof. .WhatIclaimisfj.

. 1.. In a locking'switch, the combination of'a' switch blade, a clip block pivotally supporting said switch blade,-clip jaws for engaging said blade in its closed position, a locking catch carried by ,said. clip jaws, a

casing extending from thefree end of said switch blade, a locking hook pivotally supported in said casing at a distance from the blade pivot to engage said catch when the switch is closed, a lever pivotally mounted in said casing and overlapping openings formed through the walls of said casing to receive an operating. tool,- a spring for hold ing said lever inits overlapping position, and mechanism. connecting said lever and said hook to impart to said hook a greater angular motion than that of said lever when the'latter is operated, said mechanism consisting of a second lever also overlapping said openings whereby motion of the operating tool in either direction in said openings operates'one or the other of said levers as the case maybe and thereby moves said hook to its releasing position. i

2. In a\ locking switch, the combination of a switch blade, a clipblock pivotally supporting said switch blade, clip jaws for engaging said blade in its closed position, a

locking catch carried by said clip jaws, a

'casing extending from the freeend of said switch blade,'a locking hook pivotally supported in said casing at a distance from the blade pivotto engage said catch when the switch is closed, a lever pivotally mounted in said casing and .overlapping openings formed through the wallsof said casing to receive an operating tool, a spring for holding said lever in its overlapping position, and mech-' anism connecting said lever and said hook to impart to said-hook a greater angular motion thanthat of said lever when the latter is operated, said mechanism consisting of a second lever also overlapping said openings whereby motion of the-operating tool in either direction in 'said'openings operates one or the other of said levers as. the case may be and thereby moves said hook to its releasing position, and a second locking hook engaged by said second lever and extending in opposite direction to the first named locking hook and pivotally supported in said casing, clip jaws for engaging said switch blade when in a second operative position, and a locking catch carried by said last named clip jaws for engaging said second locking hook, whereby operation of'either of said operating levers serve-to move both locking hooks to their releasinglposition.

3. In a locking switch, the combination of a pivotally mounted switch blade, clip jaws for engaging said switch blade in its closed position, a locking catch associated with said I clip-jaws, a casing carried by the free end said second locking hook.

erative position and a lockingzcatch associated with said second clipfjaws for engaging 4. In a locking switch,- the combination of a pivotally mounted switch blade having two operative positions, clip j-awsvforengagement with said blade in each operative position, a locking catch associated with each of the clip j aws, a casing carried by the free end of theswitch blade, a'lockin'g hook piv-' otally supported in said casingand extending therefrom to engage each locking catch, an operating lever in the casing engaging each locking hook for imparting greater angular motionthereto than the angular motion of the operating lever, each operating lever overlapping .openings formed through the side walls of saidcasing to receive an operating tool, and acon'nection between said'operating levers whereby the operation of one of said levers operates the other ofsaid levers. 5, In alocking switch, the vcombination of a ..pivotally mounted switch blade having two operative positions clip jawsfor engagement with said bla e in each operative position, a locking catch. associated with each of the clip jaws, acasinjgcarried by the free end of the switch blade, a locking hook pivotally supported in said casing and extending therefrom to engage each locking catch, anoperating lever in the casing engaging each locking hook for imparting greater angularv motion theretoftlran the angular motion of the operating lever, each operating lever overlapping openings formed through the side walls of said casing to receive an operatingtool, a connection between said operating levers whereby the operation of one of said levers operates the other of said levers, and a helical spring,

secured at its ends to said operating. levers -to hold them in their overlapping position. 6. In a'locki-ng switch, the combination of a switch blade,- a clip block pivotallv supporting said switch blade, clip jaws for en gagingsaid blade inv its closed position, a

locking catch carried-by said clip jaWs,- a

casing extending from the free endof said Switchblade, a locking hook-pivotally supported in said casing at a dlstance from the bladepivot to engage said catch when the switch is closed, a lever pivotally mounted in said casing and overlapping openings formedthrough the walls of said casing to.

receive an operating tool, a spring for holding sa d lever inits overlapplngposition,

and mechanism connecting said lever and said hook, said "mechanism consisting of a second lever also overlapping said openings. whereby motion of the operating tool in either direction in said openings operates one orthe other of said levers as the case maybe and thereby moves said hook to its releasing position s 7 In a locking switch, the combination of a pivotally mounted switch blade, clip jaws for engaging said switch blade in its closed position, a locking ca'tch associated .with

said clip jaws, a casing carried by the free endyof said switch blade, a locking hook pivotally supported in said casing and projecting from 'one edge thereof, levers mounted in said casing and engaging said locking hook, one of said leversoverlapping openings'. through theside walls of said casing to receive an operating tool whereby operation of said overlapping lever imparts to said locking hook greater angular motion than that of said overlapping lever, and a second locking hook extending-from the'opposite edge of said casing and engagedgby said levers, second clip jaws for engaging said switch blade in another operative'position and a locking catchassociated with said second clip jaws for, engaging said second looking hook, said levers engaging e'ach other and also connected with said locking hooks whereby operation of "said overlapping lever imparts to said locking hock greater angular motion than that of said overlapping lever. p

. 8. In a locking switch, the combination of a pivotally mounted switch blade having a two operative positions, clip jaws for engagement with said blade in each operative position, a locking catch associated with 1 each of the clip jaws, a casing carried by the free end of the switch blade, a locking hook pivotally supported in said casing and extending therefrom to engage each locking catch, an operating lever in the casing engaging each locking hook, each operating lever overlapping openings formed through the side walls of said casing to' receive an operating tool, and a connection between said operating levers'whereby the operation, .of one of said levers operates the other ofsaid levers.

9. In a locking switch, the combination of a pivotally mounted switch blade having two operative positions, Clip jaws for engagement with said blade in each operativeposition, a locking cat-ch associated with each of the clipjaws, a casing carried by the free end of the switch blade, a locking hook .pivotally supported in said casing and ex tending therefrom to engage each v locking 1 levers, and .a helical spring secured. at its ends to saidoperating levers to hold them in their, overlapping pos1tion. a

-10. In a locking switch, the combination of a pivotally mounted switch blade having locking catch, and two operating levers two operative positions, clip jaws forenmounted in said casing and engaglng said 10 gagement With said blade in each operative locking hooks, the operation of each of said position, a locking catch associated with levers serving to move both of said catches each of the clip jaws, 'acasing carried by to their releasing position. f the free end of the switch blade, a locking In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe hook p ivotally supported a in said casing my name this 19th day of May A. D. 1916. 15

and extending therefrom to engage each EDSON O. SESSIONS. 

